That Time Led Zeppelin Stole the Who’s Dinner Reservations

Robert Plants said Led Zeppelin didn't consider themselves in musical competition with the Who. Snagging dinner reservations at exclusive restaurants, however, was another matter entirely.

Seems Led Zeppelin left before the encore of a turn-of-the'70s-era Who show in New York, and eventually ended up at Max's Kansas City. In a twist, the Who already had reservations for a post-show meal – and a case of mistaken identity pushed Led Zeppelin to the front of the maitre d's line.

“We walked in the door and they said, ‘Wow, you’re early,’” Plant told Howard Stern, in a new interview. “And we said, ‘Yeah, yeah, it was an early show.’ So we went in and ate all the band’s food and ran away.”

His resemblance to the Who's singer helped. “I looked a little bit like Roger Daltrey, but a bit taller,” Plant said with a laugh. “Sorry, Roger.”

The Who were just beginning a week-long residency at the Fillmore East at the time, while Led Zeppelin were playing Carnegie Hall. As for any jockeying for position between the two, Plant explained that they were all just "kids" back then, and spent little time thinking about charts or gate receipts.

This wasn't the only time Max's Kansas City was at the center of rock history. Velvet Underground were once the house band there, and the New York Dolls succeeded them. Bruce Springsteen opened for Bob Marley at Max's, and Aerosmith were discovered there in the early '70s.